Cosmetic powder container and dispenser



July 24, 1951 A. E. VAUGHN cosMETc POWDER CONTAINER AND DISPENSER FiledJan. l5, 1945 Patented July 24, 1951 cosME'rIo POWDER CONTAINER AND yDISPENSER AAlbert E. Vaughn, orange, N. J. Applicaties January 1s, 1945,serial No. 512,591

i' This invention relates to the container art and more particularly, toa-container device for cosrn'etics,such as face powder, powdered rouge,and the' like, which is adapted to contain a `cosmetic and'to dispensethe same in desired quantities.

The present invention is an improvement on 'the'device illustrated anddescribed in my Patent 3 Claims. Cl. 15--131.l`)

No. 2,365,921, dated December 26, 19M, for -Container for CosmeticPowder, to which reference is hereby made.

, It is a primary object of my present invention to provid-e adispensing container for powder r 4the like, having a powder receptaclewith dispensing means secured thereto and a cap to enfclose thedispensing means, in which securing means are provided between theremovable cap and thereceptacle to permit the cap to be posi- 'tivelysecured to the receptacle. This feature insures against accidentalvdisplacement of the cap from the receptacle, as commonly Occurs` in awomans purse -or handbag, to preventpowder or 'rouge carried by thecontainer from being dis- 'charged and soiling adjacent articles in thepurse or'handbag.

'such' a`dispensing container as is generally described above, in whichthe powder or other cos- -n'ietic is-carried in an inner receptacleinserta-ble jintoanoute'r receptacle, with means iorlockrlg thereceptacles together. This permits the vinner receptacle, when empty, tobe replaced by a freshly iilled receptacle, which freshly lledreceptacle -can be sold separately at substantially lower` cost 'thanthe vcomplete device7 to accommodate the user,` In such construction Iprefer to form the outer receptacle of an opaque material, suchas, forexample, glass or one of the synthetic resins, and to form the innerreceptacle of a transparent material, such as, for example, glass or oneof the synthetic resins, providing an opening in the router receptaclethrough which the contents lof .the inner receptacle may be viewed bythe user.

'This permits a prospective purchaser or 'user to determine by directobservation `the true `color -of-'the powderor other cosmetic containedin thel inner receptacle, and this' construction is a further feature.of the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide :Suche dispensingcontainer, as yis generally described above, in which the .dispensingmeans may be flexed by the user to provide a pumping yaction tending toeject powder from the conft'ainen- -While this may be accomplished insevfe'jral ways, as pointed out hereinafter, I prefer' fto accomplish'it by providing a resilient cushion on the container, covered by aYsheet of powder-i -pervious fabric, the 'cushion being inwardly flex;

ible to provide a pumping action whereby air in the container, ladenwith powder, is forced outwardlythrough the sheet of yfabric by"inwardly Iiexing the cushion. l v

Still another object of the invention is to provide such dispensingcontainer, as 'generally described above, in which the bottomof thepowder containing receptacle is provided with a flexible portion whichmay be flexed by the user to assist, by a pumping action, in theejection of powderfrom the receptacle. This greatly facili#- ftates'theuse of the device and permits the coittents ofthe receptacle to bereadily lagitated "to prevent any tendency toward cakingl thereof due tothe absorption fof moisture or otherwise.

-Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromvthe following specification `and the drawing, 'which is for 'thepur-pose of ililustra-tion only, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical view, partly in section, of `a preferred embodimentof my device. Fi-g, '2 is a cross-sectional View tak-er1 on the line 2-2of Figf 1.

Fig. 3 is'an exploded perspective view illusA` an valternativeembodiment oi the invention.v a" Fig. 5 yis a vertical View, partly insection, of a further alternative form of the invention.

Referring to Fig. yl of the drawing, I show fa powder receptacle l Illincluding an outer fre- -ceptacle Il and'an inner receptacle l2. Theouter 4receptacle y'Il includes a tubular side wall "ligand aci'r-oularbottom wall I4, the 'latter 'havin'gl-a centrally disposed Opening `Iiitherethrough. .The inner receptacle I2 is provided with a tubular iin'-ner side wall il and a bottom wall I8, forming a contain-erwhich isclosed on the bottom. ,The inner receptacle lH? is preferably formed -of"a transparent material, such as, for example, glass or a syntheticresin, so that the contents thereof lmay be readily visible through thewalls thereof.

The Aouter receptaclelll is preferably formed'of -an yopaque material,such as, for example, a synthetic resin, so `that when theinnerreceptacle is disposed within the louter receptacle the contents of theformer will be hidden by the latterjbut per- .initting ready viewingthereof through the open'- ing -I5 in the Avcircular bottom wall I4 ofthe'fouter receptacle lil. f

Form-ed on the inn-er surface r9 ofthe tubular side wall I3 of the Outerreceptacle 'II are-a pluirality of threads 20 which are adapted 'to loelen'- gaged by threads 2l formed on the outer surface of the inner sidewall I1 of the inner receptacle I2. As will be apparent from Fig. 2,rotation of the inner receptacle I2 in a clockwise direction relative tothe outer receptacle II causes the threads 2I to engage the threads 2E!so as to secure the receptacles together. Relative counterclockwiserotation of the inner receptacle I2 relative to the outer receptacle I Ireadily frees the inner receptacle from the outer receptacle to permitthe removal thereof therefrom. The threads ZI! and ZI constitute asecuring means between the inner and outer receptacles for releasablysecuring them together in response to relative rotation therebetween.

The outer surface of the tubular outer side wall I3 is likewise providedwith threads 23 which are adapted to engage threads 24 formed on aninner surface 25 of a cap member 26. As will be apparent from Fig. 2,rotation of the cap member 26 in a clockwise direction relative to theouter receptacle II will cause the threads 24 to engage the threads 23so as to secure the cap member relative to the outer receptacle, thusforming ar second securing means of the invention for positivelysecuring the cap Amember relative to the outer receptacle, and this isalso a feature of the invention, preventing inadvertent displacement ofthe cap member from the outer receptacle and preventing leakage ofpowder therefrom.

Spanning the top of the tubular inner side wall I1 of the outerreceptacle II is a circular supporting member 28 constituting asupporting means of the invention, which is provided with a centralaperture 29 of substantial diameter, and which is further provided withan annular depending flange 30 which telescopes downwardly over theupper end of the inner side wall I1, as illustrated in Fig. 1. Thecircular supporting member 28 is preferably formed of metal or othermaterial resistant to flexure.

Supported on the circular supporting member 28 is a. cushion 3|,preferably formed of porous rubber or other resilient material, havinga` central passage 32 therein which registers with the central aperture29 of the supporting member 28,1but is preferably considerably smallerin diameter. Covering the cushion 3| is a sheet of fabric 34 whichserves to retain a mass of powi der or other cosmetic 35 within theinner receptacle I2, but which is suiciently pervious to the powder topermit the same to lter out of the receptacle through the sheet. Thesheet of fabric 34 is preferably flexible in character and is preferablyof the silken velure or other velvet-like type, the pile of the fabricbeing turned outward. I prefer to employ a fabric having a rayon pile,since rayon bers are peculiar in having what may be termed aself-cleaning character, especially with respect to contamination byoily substances. The outer edge of the sheet of fabric 34 is doubledback under the annular depending flange 30 of the supporting member 28between the flange and the tubular inner side wall I1 of the innerreceptacle I2, the fit being suiciently tight to retain the sheet andits contents relative to the inner receptacle.

As will be apparent from the foregoing description, the inner receptacleI2, when empty, may readily be replaced by a similar full receptacle,with the advantages therefor pointed out above. Also, it will beapparent that the cap member 26 isireadily removable from the powderreceptacle I to permit use thereof, but that the cap mem- 4 ber may besecured relative to the receptacle so as to insure against relativedisplacement therebetween.

In the alternative embodiment illustrated in Fig. 4, I provide aone-piece powder receptacle 31 having a tubular side wall 38 and abottom wall 39 closing the lower end of the side wall to form a powdercontainer adapted to contain a. mass of powder 40. The outer surface o'fthe tubular side wall 38 is provided with threads 4I, similar to thethreads 23adapted to engage and cooperate with suitable threads formedon the inner surface of a cap member 42, similar to the cap member 26.Supported on the upper end of the tubular side wall 38 is an annularsupporting member 43 having a central opening 44 therein and adapted tosupport a cushion 45, preferably in the form of a convex resilient diskformed of resilient material, such as, for example, rubber, which isprovided with a central aperture 46 of substantially smaller diameterthan the central opening 44. Covering the cushion 45 is a. sheet offabric 41, similar to the sheet of fabric 34, the outer edge of which issecured between the annular supporting member 43 and the tubular sidewall 38. In this form of the invention, as will be apparent, the cushion45 may be substantially flexed inwardly relative to the central opening44 in the supporting member 43, to force powder from the interior of thereceptacle 31 outwardly through the central aperture 46 in the cushionand through the sheet of fabric 41. By utilizing a relatively thinflexible cushion, the pumping action caused by inward flexure of thecushion is enhanced substantially, and this is an object of thisalternative embodiment of the invention.

In the alternative embodiment illustrated in Fig. 5, I show a powderreceptacle 50 including a tubular side wall 5I and a bottom wall 52having a recessed opening 53 therein into which is secured, as bycementing or otherwise, a flexible disk 54, preferably formed of arelatively thin flexible material, such as, for example, Celluloid,which closes the lower end of the receptacle. Supported on the upper endof the tubular side wall 5I is an annular supporting member 56, similarto the circular supporting member 28, which supports a cushion 51,similar to the cushion 3I, the same being enclosed by a sheet of fabric58, similar to the sheet of fabric 34, and suitably retained between thesupporting member and the side wall. The cushion 51 is provided with acentral passage 59 of substantially smaller diameter than a centralopening 60 formed in the supporting member 56,'similar to theconstruction illustrated in Fig. 1; Although inward flexure of thecushion 51 causes a certain degree of pumping, as described above inconnection with the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the pumping effect issubstantially enhanced by the flexible .disk 54 which can-be flexed toagitate the contents of the receptacle 5B so as to force powdertherefrom outwardly through the sheet of fabric 58. As shown in Fig. 4,the construction illustrated in Fig. 5 is provided with threads 6Ivk onthe exterior of the tubular side wall 5I which are adapted to engagesuitable threads formed on the interior wall of a cap member 62, tosecure the cap member relative to the receptacle.

While I have shown and described a' preferred embodiment of myinvention, together with two alternative embodiments, it will beunderstood by those skilled in the art that certain elements and detailsof such embodiments may be replaced by others having equivalentfunctions, and that I do not intend rto be limited to the specific formsshown, or any of them, but desire to be afforded the full scope of thefollowing claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a powder container of the character described, the combination of:a tubular powder receptacle member having a side wall, a bottom wall andan open end, said member being adapted to contain a powder, said bottomwall having a flexible portion adapted to be flexed to displace powderfrom said receptacle member; a supporting element supported on said sidewall, said supporting element having an aperture therethroughcommunicating with the interior of said receptacle member; a resilientcushion supported on said supporting element and having an orificetherethrough of smaller size than said aperture` communicating with saidaperture; and a sheet of fabric covering said cushion and securedrelative tosaid receptacle member and extending across the open end ofsaid receptacle member, said fabric being pervious to the powder topermit the powder to be dispensed therethrough from said receptaclemember with a pumping. action when the approximate central portions ofsaid cushion and said covering are substantially flexed inwardlyrelative to said aperture.

2. In a powder container of the character described, the combination ofa tubular powder receptacle member having a side wall, a bottom wall andan open end, said member being adapted to contain a powder, said bottomwall having a exible portion adapted to be exed to displace powder fromsaid receptacle member through said I open top; a supporting elementsupported on said side wall, said supporting element having an aperturetherethrough communicating with the interior of said receptacle member;a resilient cushion supported on said supporting element and having anorifice therethrough of smaller size than said aperture communicatingwith said aperture; a sheet of fabric covering said cushion and securedrelative to said receptacle member and extending across the open endthereof, said fabric being pervious to the powder to permit the powderto be dispensed therethrough from said receptacle member; and aremovable cap member adapted to telescope over said side wall to enclosesaid sheet, the combined flexing of said bottom wall and flexing of thevapproximate central portions of said cushion and fabric inwardly rela*tive to said aperture effecting a pumping action for feeding powder fromsaid receptacle member.

3. In a powder container of the character described, the combination of:a tubular powder receptacle member having a side wall, a bottom wall andan open end, said member being adapted to contain a powder, said bottomwall having a flexible portion adapted to be flexed to displace powderfrom said open end of said receptacle member; a supporting elementsupported on said side wall, said supporting element having an aperturetherethrough communicating with the interior of said receptacle member;a resilient cushion supported on said supporting element and having anorifice therethrough of smaller size than said aperture communicatingwith said aperture; a sheet of fabric covering said cushion and securedrelative to said receptacle member, said fabric overlying said open endof said receptacle member and being pervious to the powder to permit thepowder to be dispensed therethrough from said receptacle member; and aremovable cap member adapted to telescope over said side wall to enclosesaid sheet, the combined flexing of said bottom wall and flexing of theapproximate central portions of said cushion and fabric inwardlyrelative to said aperture effecting a pumping action for feeding powderfrom said receptacle member.

ALBERT E. VAUGHN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 138,662 Leet et al. May 6, 18731,318,256 Birsan Oct. '7, 1919 1,453,038 Boyd Apr. 24, 1923 1,920,893Rudolph Aug. 1, 1933 2,082,255 Mureau June 1, 1937 2,180,004 `Grant Nov.14, 1939 2,234,558 Huston Mar. 11, 1941 2,236,957 Vild Apr. 1, 19412,265,935 Bischofswerder Dec. 9, 1941 2,365,908 Runnels Dec. 26, 19442,365,921 Vaughn Dec. 26, 1944

